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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832175">Love in Plain Sight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadao_Maou/pseuds/Sadao_Maou'>Sadao_Maou</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avenger Reader (Marvel), Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Female Protagonist, Female Reader, Fluff and Smut, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, POV Female Character, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Dancing, Slow Romance, Smut, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:34:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,017</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832175</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadao_Maou/pseuds/Sadao_Maou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You are a simple girl living in New York City who gets wrapped up in the Avengers lives. Your relationship with the group becomes more crucial over time, eventually becoming one of them. A slow burn romance between you and Loki,  a good portion of it taking place at Christmastime. </p><p>Comments are greatly appreciated, I love feedback about my work and I'd love to know how everyone feels about the story!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki (Marvel) &amp; Reader, Loki (Marvel)/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Cafe Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Those are the days you worked at Wide Awake Cafe, a small place in the more relaxed area of New York City. Fridays and Saturdays are our busiest days, but you prefer to work the earlier days in the week. That’s when you see my favorite customers. </p><p>      Mondays it's one or two of them, but most of them come in on Wednesdays. When they first came in it was hard to keep my composure, but after the 3rd consecutive week of them coming in, it became easier. It became a little inside thing with yourself. You never told anyone, not even your close friends. It was a well kept secret. Of course it’s not a bad secret. But a secret nonetheless. It was the Avengers. </p><p>      The first one to enter the shop was Peter Parker. He was attempting to conceal his identity with a pair of sunglasses, but of course it didn’t work. He ordered a simple latte and left. You thought nothing of it really, until he came back a few days later with a few friends. If your memory served you well, it was Peter Parker, Clint Barton, and Natasha Romanov. They were nice, tipped you well, and spent an hour in the cafe sitting and drinking their coffees. </p><p>      It was a Monday morning, nearly 6am. You normally woke up around 5 to get ready for your day. By 6 you were locking your front door and riding your bike to the cafe. It was a cold December morning, so the air was bitter and cold, but you were protected by a thick scarf and your puffy winter coat.  You had the opening shift, unlocking the back door and pushing my bike into the small break room. You turned on the lights and music, playing soft piano music. It took a little while to power everything up, but at 6:30 you unlocked the front door. You would be by yourself until 9, when your coworker Jess would join you.  </p><p>      The bell rang at the front door, and you looked up to see your favorite regulars. Tony, Peter, Natasha, and Thor. </p><p>      “Good morning! What can I get for you today?” You smiled, earning a large grin in return from Thor. </p><p>      “I’ll just take my usual latte dear. And I want a…” he looked down at his phone. He was reading a text message on his phone, likely a coffee order for someone else who would be late. “Black coffee? That’s all he said.” You nodded and entered the orders into my computer. Thor always got a caramel latte, ever since he tried it for the first time a few weeks ago. It’s all he orders now. I wondered who could be black coffee order. The only other person in the Avengers that ordered that was Tony, and he was standing behind Thor, talking with Peter. You told him the total and he swiped his credit card. Once he paid, you told him it would be a few minutes. He nodded, making his way to their normal table. </p><p>      The rest ordered, leaving me to make five drinks as fast as possible. Tony must’ve noticed me rushing, calling from their table. “Don’t stress over that extra black coffee darling, he won’t be here for another ten minutes.” You sighed in relief, setting down the coffee pot and focusing on the more complicated drinks. </p><p>      After serving the group, you smiled and made your way back to the counter. Since it was a simple Monday, you didn’t expect anyone else for most of the morning. After a while, the bell rang at the front door. You immediately reached for the coffee pot, pouring a quick drink for the new guest. Walking over to the table, you looked up and made eye contact with Loki himself. He was dressed casually, long black hair slicked back. His nose and cheeks were red from the cold, making the rest of him seem even paler than normal. His wide smile caught you off guard as you placed his hot coffee on the table. </p><p>      “Thank you darling.” He placed his cold hands around the hot beverage. His brother next to him smiled, asking if he had gotten the order right. You slowly walked back to the counter, wondering why he was here. Loki had never come into the cafe before, so this was new and unexpected. He was a known villain in New York City, though the Avengers had publicly announced him as a “good guy”. You weren’t sure how to feel about him, seeing as you’d only ever seen him on the news, trying to destroy New York. </p><p>      Once an hour went by, a few more customers came in. A few teenage girls who seemed to be invested in a long conversation, breaking it to tell me their orders. You nodded after processing their payment and eagerly went to make their drinks. As you worked, you could hear their conversation. </p><p>      “Oh my god is that the Avengers?”</p><p>      “It is, holy shit!”</p><p>      “Is that Loki?”</p><p>      “He’s so hot…”</p><p>      “I know! You should talk to him.”</p><p>      Before you knew it, the three were walking up to the group. You chucked. Kids. </p><p>      “Excuse me, Loki? Can I get a picture with you?” One girl asked. Loki looked up from his drink and you could tell he was uncomfortable. </p><p>      “Uh.. sure..” He stuttered, standing next to the young girl. You could see her hand travel down his side, nearly touching his ass. He stood still, not touching the young girl who couldn’t be a year over 15. </p><p>      Your hand flew to your temple, pained by something. “Please tell them to get off me.” a voice said. You recognized the voice from only an hour before, Loki. You looked to him, seeing that he was making calm eye contact with you. You pointed to my temple questioningly, wondering if you were imagining it. He nodded, confirming he had, in fact, projected his thoughts into your mind. You stepped from behind the counter, making your way to them. </p><p>      “Excuse me girls, I don’t think the Avengers here would like to be disturbed. I’m sure Loki is flattered, but I also don’t think it’s very appropriate for a 15 year old to be feeling him up.” The girls frowned at you and picked up their coffees, storming out of the cafe. You could see a wave of relief wash over Loki as he sighed. </p><p>      “Thank you so much…” he offered a hand and took a long look at your name tag. </p><p>      “Y/N” You said, shaking his hand. “I won’t keep you from your group, have a nice day.” You smiled. He nodded and sat back in his seat. As you rounded the corner of the counter for the millionth time of the morning, you saw a text on your phone waiting for you. It was Daniel, your fiance, wondering what time you’d be off work. You giggled as you responded, telling him 3:00pm. You were going to spend the afternoon together, hopefully finally working on wedding plans. </p><p>      A few minutes later, the Avengers packed up their things and headed out the front door, all bundling up for the cold except Loki. You wondered why the bitterness of the air wouldn’t bother him. They waved as they left and you smiled, giving a small wave back. </p><p>      “I shall see you again later this week, Y/N!” Thor roared, closing the door. You laughed, content with your small friendship with the Avengers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Dinner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You and your fiance Daniel go out to dinner and Loki sees. </p><p>warning: abuse, physical and sexual</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     By the time you got off work and got home, Daniel was home. The front door was unlocked, making it so you didn’t have to pull out your keys. </p><p>     “Hello?” you called out. Daniel was sitting in the living room, watching television. </p><p>     “Oh hey baby! Are you ready for dinner?” he asked, pausing the tv and standing. You smiled and nodded. </p><p>     “Of course, let me change out of my work clothes first.” you walked into your bedroom, picking out a simple outfit for the casual date. You were just walking around the city and going to dinner, nothing too formal. Once dressed, you walked into the living room to see Daniel on his phone. </p><p>     “Let’s go.” you said, wrapping an arm around his own. He put his phone away and draped his arm behind you. </p><p>     “Let’s.”</p><p>
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</p><p>     An hour later, you were walking down the busy sidewalk, holding hands with Daniel and trying your best to not be separated. You had reserved dinner at a small restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, Daniels favorite restaurant. As you walked, you wondered if you would finally get the chance to talk about the wedding. You and Daniel had been dating for five years, engaged for two. Whenever the topic came up of actually setting a date, he would say it’s too rushed and we should wait until we were both financially stable. You were nearly there, being able to afford small luxuries along with paying your rent and paying for groceries. You worked multiple hours at Wide Awake Cafe, while Daniel was spending his money on video games and claiming he was on a job search. It had been nearly six months since he applied somewhere. You offered to help but any time you did, he insisted he was fine. </p><p>     At the restaurant, you were seated and given menus by the perky waitress. Her name tag read Andrea, and I smiled at her while giving her my drink order. Andrea wrote it down quickly and turned to Daniel, who was staring at her tits. I rolled my eyes and looked out the window while he ordered himself a drink. She should’ve walked away but she didn’t, rather commenting on his video game shirt. I tried ignoring them, staring out the winder. From my seat I could see Stark Tower. You wondered if anyone was home. You knew they all lived up in the tower, ready to go on missions and save citizens of the word at any moment. </p><p>     After a few minutes Andrea finally left. You tried ignoring his ogling at her and made conversation. “So what did you do today?” you asked, hoping the waitress would take her time with your drinks. Hopefully you’d get at least a few minutes of his attention. </p><p>     He shifted in his seat. “I uh… I spent a few hours online with friends. How about you?” He asked. You looked at him with a blank face. </p><p>     “I’ve been at work all day, obviously.” You tried to laugh it off. </p><p>     You loved Daniel, really, it was just hard sometimes. His unemployment and lack of motivation, it almost seemed like he never wanted to get married. You opened your mouth to say something, but before you could Andrea was back with your drinks. She made another comment about the video game that was on his t-shirt. You once again looked out the window, staring at Stark Tower for a second time. </p><p>     A familiar pounding in your head caused you to grip your temple. You almost expected Daniel to ask what was wrong, but he simply wasn’t paying attention. You waited for a moment, waiting to see what Loki had to say this time. </p><p>     “He seems like an asshole.” His voice was distant and echoing in your mind, but it was clear what he was saying. You looked around the restaurant to see if he was there, but his voice cut you off. “I’m at Starks, in a place where I can very clearly see you and your date. Why do you let him just stare at that woman's breasts?” Your eyes widened. Had he been watching you?</p><p>     “Don’t worry, I wasn’t stalking you. Thor happened to see you walk into the restaurant and he asked me to keep an eye on you.” he said. Andrea walked away. Loki’s voice rang in your mind. “If you need anything, let me know. A group of us are returning to the cafe later this week. We can talk there.” The pain went away and you turned to Daniel in disbelief. He wasn’t looking at you, rather at his phone again. </p><p>
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</p><p>     Leaving the small restaurant, you glanced at Stark tower, wondering if Loki was still watching. It was difficult wrapping your brain around Loki. On your walk home, Daniel droned on and on about the latest news in the city, something that bored you. You nodded and gave him small responses, pretending you were listening. You thought about the Avengers, Loki, your friendship with them. You only knew Loki to be a villain so it was hard looking at him in another way. He seemed kind and respectful toward you and, of course, you wanted to trust him, but you still weren’t sure. It had only been a few months since the Avengers publicly announced Loki as an Avenger. How much can someone really change in such a short amount of time?</p><p>     Back at your apartment, Daniel became touchy. He was normally like this after a date, but for some reason this time felt different than usual. He placed his hands on your waist, pulling you close and kissing you. You kissed him back, running your hands through his hair. He ran his hands down your ass and you pushed him against the wall behind him. After a few moments, he pushed against you, taking control and forcing you against the same wall. He moved quickly, unzipping your pants and shoving his hand down into your underwear. He pushed a few fingers into you and hurt. You pushed him away quickly. </p><p>     “What the fuck!” He said. Before you could explain yourself, he slapped you. You stood there, shocked, as he stormed off to your shared bedroom. You zipped up your pants and went to the closet to get a blanket. He’d have the bed that night. </p><p>     He didn’t normally do this. He had done it once or twice before, only small slaps. This is the first time he’d forced himself on you though. You spent the night on the couch, listening to him touch himself in the other room. You swore you could hear him moaning another girl's name, but you tried to ignore it. You couldn’t leave him, you loved him. Right?</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Caught in the Act</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Warning: abuse</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      It was a few days later. Wednesday, the next day of work for you. Yesterday had been a boring day. Daniel spent the day home, playing his games again. You worked on your computer, working your second job as a customer support for a larger company. It was simple enough, and you enjoyed working at home. Daniel apologized for his behavior at lunch and you reluctantly accepted his apology. You rationalized it to yourself that it was no big deal. That night you spent the night together and he didn’t attempt anything, so you took it as a win. </p><p>      You wrapped up in your familiar warm protection, hopping on your bike and making your way to the cafe. While gliding down the street you had one thought in your mind. Would the Avengers be there today, like Loki had said. It seemed almost foolish, relying on the word of a man you couldn’t completely trust. </p><p>      The routine was the same, entering the back of the cafe and getting everything together. While working and unlocking the door, you couldn’t help but think about Loki again. Why was he sticking out in your mind? You thought and thought about it. You came to the conclusion that it was because he was new, in your mind. Monday was the first time you had ever seen him in person. He was different than you had imagined. Rather than the evil monster the media made him out to be, he was kind and awkward. The idea that it might be a ruse crossed your mind, but what would he benefit from that? </p><p>      The door rang and you looked up, not surprised by what you saw. Thor, Natasha, Bruce, Loki, and Steve this time. Thor quickly rushed to the counter, but you entered his order before he could even get a word out. </p><p>      “Black coffee for you again?” you looked to Loki. He smiled a charming smile and shook his head. </p><p>      “No, today I’m going for something a bit more detailed.” He placed a hand on Thor's shoulder. “I’ll pay for myself this time, brother.”</p><p>      Thor laughed loudly and entered his card into the machine. He was always excited to be there, making an appearance nearly twice a week without fail. The presence of Natasha was nice, having another woman in the room. She was intimidating when you first met and you were afraid she didn’t like you, but she quickly broke the ice with you by spilling embarrassing gossip on the boys. Since then, she had been a comforting sight. </p><p>      “And what would that detailed drink be?” you asked, gesturing a hand up to the menu above you. He brought his hand to his chin, thinking deeply about his choices. You chuckled as Natasha pushed him aside. </p><p>      “I’ll take the vanilla bean latte.” she said, moving her sunglasses to the top of her head. Nodding you entered it. After her order, Steve stepped forward and offered to pay for the two of them. Natasha insisted on paying for herself but Steve swiped his card before she could stop him. I put in his regular espresso and rang up their orders. Bruce looked to Loki, almost asking if he was ready to order. Loki gestured forward, telling him that he could order first. </p><p>      “Hey uh I’ll just take a simple black coffee…” He looked down at his hands. You smiled. </p><p>      “Are you sure?” You asked. You knew he secretly liked the fancier drinks but he was too proud to admit it. He laughed and finally made eye contact with you. </p><p>      “You’re right. I’ll go with the macchiato.” </p><p>      Finally it was Loki’s turn. After Bruce paid, he left to sit with the others. Loki slowly stepped in front of you. “How about one of those frappes, eh?” he said, pointing to the menu. </p><p>      “A frappe?” you questioned. “It’s nearly 30 degrees outside.”</p><p>      “I can handle the cold dear.” He chuckled.</p><p>       “Hm… does your favorite song from Frozen happen to be Let it Go?” He looked at you with a confused face. You laughed. “You know, the cold never bothered me anyway?” He thought for a moment and his eyes lit up. </p><p>      “Ah yes, I remember seeing that movie a few months ago. Very weird movie.” He stated. You stared at him for a moment. “Well Thor talked through the whole thing, maybe I misunderstood it.” You laughed. He couldn’t help but laugh along with you. </p><p>      “Seems possible.” You tucked a few straying hairs behind your ear and tried your best to hide the creeping blush on your face.</p><p>
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</p><p>      When they got up to leave, Steve quickly walked over to the counter. He held out a small paper, but when you went to take it he pulled you in close to him. Leaning next to your ear he whispered. </p><p>      “Loki told me about Monday. If you ever need anything, please feel free to contact me.” He patted your hand and left the small piece of paper in your hand. They filed out the front door, each waving as they left. Loki was underdressed compared to the rest, wearing a thin coat. You wondered what Loki had told Steve. Well, Thor had seen you enter the restaurant with Daniel. Loki used some type of special sight to see you in the restaurant and noticed that Daniel had wandering eyes for the waitress. He must’ve told Steve. You pulled out your phone to enter Steve’s number and see a message from Daniel. </p><p>      Daniel - What time will you be off work?</p><p>      You - I’m working a double so I’ll be here all day. I’ll be home around 9.</p><p>      You saw a few dots appear, to show him typing but they quickly disappeared and he never said anything else. With a huff you went to enter Steve’s number. You thought about it for a moment, realizing that you had an Avengers phone number. Not just an Avenger, a super soldier. It was huge, enough to cause you to sit down for a moment. You regained your composure when the front bell rang, signaling that it was time to get back to work. No time to think about Loki or the Avengers. </p><p>
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</p><p>      It was 7:30 and you were leaving the Cafe. Things got slow later in the day and your manager told you that it might be in your best interest to just close up early. On the bike ride home you had an unfamiliar feeling in your gut. Something telling you that things weren’t right. Something was off, but you didn’t know what. This feeling caused you to bike faster home. </p><p>      It was 7:45 when you unlocked your apartment door. After removing your winter coat and A pair of unfamiliar shoes greeted you, sitting on the ground next to Daniel's own sneakers. You questioned for a moment if you were imagining things. There was no way you were seeing this. It felt almost like a movie… turning the corner and hearing obnoxious moans from a girl coming from your bedroom. You could feel rage filling you, a burning inside you. He could go and do this, after the shit he put you though? You considered leaving. Grabbing some cash and running, but you needed your clothes. The urge to burst in the room and catch him in the act was overwhelming. You felt your feet below you moving toward the bedroom. Pushing the door open, you were met with the sight of Daniel and the waitress, Andrea, fucking in your bed. </p><p>      “Daniel?” Was the only word you managed to say. He jumped out of the bed, Andrea covering herself with a blanket. The anger in you kept rising, you could feel tears building in your eyes but you wiped them away quickly. “Are you fucking kidding me?” You yelled. </p><p>       Andrea quickly stood up and threw her clothing on, rushing past me and out of the apartment. Daniel stood in the middle of the room throwing on his boxers. “It’s not what it looks like.” he said, walking toward you. </p><p>      “Not what it… so I didn’t just see you fucking a girl in my bed?!” You yelled. He came closer and you couldn’t help but slap him. </p><p>      Before you could recoil from the slap, he had a hand around your wrist, and the other around your throat. He pushed you against the wall behind you and his face came extremely close to your own. </p><p>      “<strong>Don’t you fucking touch me</strong>!” he yelled in your face. His hands tightened around your throat. “<strong>I only did it because you won’t fucking let me touch you! Maybe if you weren’t so fucking stingy I wouldn’t have gone and fucked the closest bitch with tits</strong>!” He was screaming now. You moved your hands to your throat, desperately trying to get his hands off you. The world around you started going dark as he placed his other hand on your throat.</p><p>      With a swift kick, you managed to hit him in the balls. He fell to the floor, gripping himself. You ran to the front door, grabbing your phone and wallet on the way. There was no time to grab your personal belongings. If you stayed there any longer he would kill you. Running down the hall you could hear him yelling from the apartment. You scrambled into the elevator and hit the lobby button nearly 30 times. You could see Daniel from down the hall, stumbling out of the door and running down the hall. </p><p>      You thanked god as the elevator doors shut and you began your descent. Your heart was beating so fast, you were almost convinced it wasn’t beating at all. After the doors reopened, you ran through the lobby, quickly bursting into the winter air. It was raining, freezing rain drops hitting your hair and skin. The tears that had been building inside you finally burst, leaving you sobbing on the steps of your apartment building, soaked with only a shirt and jeans on, in the December rain. With nowhere to go. You looked around you, knowing you couldn’t stay there. Daniel may very well be in the elevator on his way to chase you. You decided to run to the only place you thought you would be safe.</p><p>      Stark Tower.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm sorry this was dark, it'll get better i promise. I really appreciate feedback!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Awake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>You run to Stark tower and wake up to some very worried Avengers</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm so sorry if this is paced weird, i think i'm just getting used to slowburn stories.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      You stumbled down the sidewalk, trying your best to remember the direction of Stark Tower. The freezing rain stung your shoulders and at this point, you couldn’t feel your feet or face. Tears were frozen to your cheeks and your hair was soaked. After 15 minutes or running, you saw the familiar tower only a few blocks away. You stopped, looking behind you to make sure no one was following. You pulled out your phone and squinted, trying your best to see through your tears. Quickly, you found Steve’s contact and hit the call button. It rang for a minute but there was no response. You decided it was best to keep moving before you couldn’t walk anymore. </p><p>      At the steps of Stark Tower, you tried calling Steve again. This time there was a response. The inside was dark and you had no way inside. Your face was numb and you knew it would be difficult to speak for long. </p><p>      “Hello?” You heard Steve say. You went to speak but only a croak came out. Your throat was still burning from Daniels' attack on you. </p><p>      “Y/N? Is that you? What’s wrong?” His voice was filled with worry now. You could hear a commotion on his end. Someone took the phone from him.</p><p>      “Y/N?” It was Thor. “Where are you?” he asked. His voice was loud and demanding. </p><p>       You managed to croak a small “Downstairs.” Before your hand lost grip of your phone. As you fell to your knees on the steps of Stark Tower, many thoughts ran through your mind. The idea of The Avengers finding you frozen on their doorstep was embarrassing, but they were the only ones you could think of who would protect you. After so many interactions with them, they felt like friends rather than just customers. You felt stupid for staying with Daniel for so long. You slumped over, falling on your side. The rain kept coming, heavy droplets of frozen water burned your skin. The world once again started going black. You had no control over any part of your body anymore, every part of you numb and cold. Breathing was becoming difficult. You hoped Thor had heard you. As you closed your eyes, you wondered if this was how everything was meant to be. </p><p>      The feeling of two warm arms picking you up woke you up. The rain was still there. The cold. Your limbs wouldn’t move on your own command, but the man holding you bridal style was determined to move you. Your head fell against his chest and you could almost make out whispers. </p><p>      “Why is she out here?”</p><p>      “Is she ok?”</p><p>      “Where is her jacket?”</p><p>      “Is she breathing?”</p><p>      “Tony be careful with her.” You could make out the voice of Natasha. Tony must be the one holding you. You could feel the warmth of Stark Tower around you, warming your body. Everything stung, your body thawing. Tony was surprisingly warm, something you hadn’t expected from Iron Man. </p><p>      “She’s going to be ok.” You could hear Bruce above you. You desperately tried opening your eyes. Thoughts of everyone there flashed through your mind but there was one person who you couldn’t get out of your mind. Where was Loki? </p><p>
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</p><p>      The sun shining bright into the bedroom told you it was time to wake up. Your eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the bright light. You were in a bedroom, one you hadn’t been in before. As you looked around, damn near every Avenger was sitting in some type of chair or couch. You moved your hands against the soft, white blanket on top of you. It was a new feeling. Thor, sitting next to the bed, noticed you moving. </p><p>      “Oh thank god.” Natasha jumped from her seat, near sprinting to the bed. Along with her, Steve and Peter rushed to your side. The sudden presence of everyone coming toward you was overwhelming, causing you to sink back into the bed. They noticed this and slowed, Steve coming close to you and sitting on the bed. Next to you, Thor reached out a hand, placing it on your own. </p><p>      “Y/N what happened last night.” he asked, his normally loud and booming voice now low and comforting.</p><p>      “You scared the shit out of us.” Natasha said. Your eyes scanned the room. Tony was nowhere to be seen. Natasha, Steve, and Peter were next to your bed, Thor sitting on the other side. Clint was sitting in the window, looking at you with a concerned face. Loki was standing in the corner of the room, dark and solemn. </p><p>      You sat up a bit, gathering yourself. “I… I can’t remember everything. But it was Daniel. My fian- my ex fiance…” memories of what happened the night before in your apartment were foggy, but you knew the gist of it. You caught Daniel cheating, he attacked you, and you escaped to Stark Tower. </p><p>      From across the room Loki broke his stance, walking to you quickly. Before you could ask what he was doing, he placed a hand on your forehead. Visions of last night flooded your memory. Walking in the apartment, seeing Daniel. His hands around your throat. His screaming. Running out the door and into the rain, stumbling to Stark Tower. It was vivid and terrifying. After a moment the vision was gone and Loki’s hand was lowering from your face. His eyes bore into your soul. The pain and agony you had endured. He saw it all. His hand shook as he lowered it to his side. The look on his face was terrified and angry. </p><p>      “Loki what did you see…” Thor boomed, his loud voice back. You winced, remembering Daniels screaming. The room had a visible reaction, Clint standing from the window and taking a step toward you. </p><p>      “We should give her space. Loki.” Steve faced the dark haired man. “Stay here with Y/N while we go talk to Tony.” he turned to you. “We will be back Y/N don’t worry.” Steve shot a look to Thor, who seemed reluctant to leave. After a cold stare from Loki though, he left. Once the room was empty, save for you and Loki, you suddenly found it hard to look into his eyes. He sat on the bed beside you and you could tell he wanted to say something. </p><p>      “Loki…” you began. </p><p>      “I’m sorry.” he said. You looked to his face, finally, but he was looking down into his own open hands. His voice was dripping with emotion you didn’t even know a man like him could have. “I’m sorry I made you relive that. I just had to know what he did.” he curled his long fingers into fists, knuckles turning white from the pressure. You wanted to reach out, to reassure him. </p><p>      “It’s ok…” you said, reaching your hand to his own. He stood before you could reach him, pulling away from you. The tension was heavy and you couldn’t tell if he hated you or not. </p><p>      “You need rest.” the soft, emotional voice from moments before gone, replaced with a stern and cold one. You pulled your hand back into you. You weren’t sure what you wanted from Loki, but you didn’t want him to be cold towards you. He walked to the windowsill where Clint had been sitting but he instead just stood there. </p><p>      You admired his angular face, the way his hair fell off his face near perfectly. You shook your head, trying your best to rid yourself of these thoughts, but you couldn’t help it. Since you had first seen him at the cafe, you were unable to get him out of your head. There was something about him that appealed to you but you could not figure it out. These thoughts moved so fast in your mind, nearly giving you a headache. You tore your eyes away from him, sinking under the warm blankets once again and drifting back into sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know what you think in the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Bodyguards</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      It was a few days after the incident with Daniel, and you were still staying at Stark tower. They let you room in their spare while you found a new apartment nearby in the city. You considered somewhere outside the city, but Tony eventually convinced you to stay. You loved your job at the cafe, and you didn’t want to quit. Now that it was Saturday, it was time to go back to work. After calling out Friday, you knew you had to go Saturday. </p><p>      “Are you sure you want to go?” Thor said, sitting at the kitchen counter. </p><p>      “She can handle herself Thor.” Bruce picked up his coffee and made his way to the door. He was on his way to the lab, where Tony was, and you were almost positive that he hadn’t slept at all the night before. He held up the cup. “Not as good as you make it, but I can deal.” he took a sip with raised eyebrows and left. </p><p>      You looked to Thor, who was still trying to find a way to convince you not to go to work. </p><p>      “Thor I’m fine going to work. I don’t think Daniel is going to show up…” you put on your shoes and went to reach for your jacket. </p><p>      “Let us go to work with you then.” Thor stood up and walked to Loki’s bedroom. He knocked on the door loudly. “BROTHER!!!” he yelled. You smiled, excited to see how this scene would play out. The bedroom door opened, revealing a tired Loki. He looked as if he hadn’t slept all night. “Y/N wants to go back to work.” </p><p>      Loki’s eyes opened widely. “Why would you want to go back so soon?” he stepped past Thor and came towards you. “What if Daniel comes back?” he said, placing a hand on your shoulder. It was unexpected contact but for some reason, it didn’t bother you. Having his hand so close to your face caused your stomach to flip.</p><p>      You sighed. They were right. It was likely Daniel could come back and do something. After you showed up on their front door step, Tony had contacted police, but they decided that your case wasn’t enough of a priority since you were no longer living with him. Which meant he was still free, in the city, capable of anything. An idea came to you after a minute of thinking. </p><p>      “What if you guy come with me? Like, hang out at the cafe during my shift?” You looked into Loki’s eyes. “If you’re not busy, I mean.” you nervously laughed, rubbing your hand on the back of your neck. Loki looked to Thor, who was still standing in Loki’s doorway. </p><p>      “No! Of course we can go, right Loki?” Thor smiled widely. “Let me if anyone else would like to join us.” Thor went to walk through the halls of bedrooms, knocking on doors. You could hear Steve’s voice, along with Clint, and Vision. As he did this you looked over to Loki’s hand, which was still on your shoulder. He was cold, something you weren’t very surprised by. You coughed into your hand, trying to get his attention. His head whipped around to your direction and you leaned your head in the direction of his hand. His eyes widened and he quickly removed his hand. He awkwardly laughed, rubbing his hands together. Thor returned with Steve, Bucky, Vision and Wanda. You were surprised by the presence of Bucky, who had only made appearances from his hidey hole once or twice in the past few days. Grant it, it was to help take care of you, so you had gotten to know him a bit better. </p><p>      “They are prepared to join us at the Cafe, let me go ask Banner and Tony.” Thor threw on a coat, running out the door to the lab. You brought your hands to your face. This was overkill. </p><p>      Vision stepped forward. “I know you think it's a bit much but considering what happened, extra protection is needed.” Wanda walked up beside him, placing an arm around his waist. </p><p>      “And we need some time out of the tower.” she winked. A smile formed on your face. Wanda and Vision didn’t stop by the cafe often, normally preoccupied with mission, but they seemed to take a liking to you in the past few days. “Natasha and Clint are on a mission, but I’m sure they would’ve wanted to come.”</p><p>      You went to say something, but were interrupted by Thor, accompanied by Tony and Bruce. </p><p>      “Tony I don’t know if it’s the best idea for me to go. I mean, what if I…” Bruce was trailing behind them. </p><p>      “If you do, perfect. The asshole deserves it.” Tony flicked open a pair of sunglasses and put them on. “So, family outing?” he looked around, seeing nearly all the avengers present. “Sounds good. Lets go.”</p><p>
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</p><p>      Standing at the counter, you couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, seeing basically the entirety of the avengers sitting at a table with their eyes on the door at all times. As you made coffees you got to thinking. What about you made them become this protective of you? You were just a simple barista at a local coffee shop. Sure, you had longer conversations with them compared to other customers. You kept the question in the back of your mind for a while, pushing it away so you could focus on work. </p><p>      Anytime the bell rang, indicating that someone entered the shop, you tensed. The fear that Daniel might walk through the door nearly paralyzed you. You admitted, having your friends there made you feel a lot safer. Their presence was comforting, and you couldn’t help but glance over at Loki every once in a while. Of everyone, he seemed the quietest and most concentrated. The others talked to one another, cracking jokes and telling stories. But Loki sat on his own at the end of the table, nearest to you. He kept an eye on the door at all times. </p><p>      You had to admit, he was hot. Of course he was. Charming, attractive, a god. You tried to shake off all thoughts of… liking him. He was an Avenger. You looked down at yourself. There was nothing special there, nothing a god like him would like. It seemed stupid to think maybe he felt the same attraction towards you. You worried about how it looked, having just gotten out of an abusive relationship, already having feelings for a totally new guy. He seemed awkward and distant. At first he had been a bit flirty and social with you, but after the incident with Daniel, it seemed like he didn’t really want to be near you. Which is why you were confused about the fact he was seemingly extremely protective over you. </p><p>      It was an hour or two into your shift and the cafe was empty other than your group of bodyguards. Christmas music was playing over the speakers, something you were excited about. You planned on decorating for Christmas as soon as you weren’t glancing at the door in fear every 5 seconds. You didn’t think about it before your shift, but you realized that Thor was right. If Daniel was going to come after you, which he most definitely was, he would do it at your job. As you were cleaning the counter, you heard the bell ring. Looking up, your blood went cold. </p><p>      It was Daniel. Your mind went blank, everything you had planned if he had shown up now gone. All you could think about was his hands around your neck and his screaming. Loki, stood up quickly, glaring at him. Thor followed suit, and you could tell his blood was boiling. The rest, who had never seen Daniel before, caught onto the fact this was him. Bucky, Vision, Steve and Bruce all stood, staring him down. Wanda, who was sitting by the front door, had locked it behind him. Daniel looked from them to you a few times, realizing why they were there. </p><p>      “Oh so you have a little group of bodyguards eh?” his voice was raspy and low, the same way it had been when he attacked you. You tried to speak but nothing would come out. Tony, the only one who was still sitting, slowly took off his sunglasses and stood up. He sauntered over to Daniel, casual as ever. </p><p>      “Now I’m assuming you know who we are.” he gestured to the Avengers behind him. “I’m also assuming you know why we are here. You” he pressed a finger to Daniels chest. “Fucked up. Plain and simple. Because you, sir asshole, have fucked with Y/N. And Y/N” he gestured to you. “Is someone we like.” He turned and winked at you, causing you to roll your eyes. </p><p>      If looks could kill, Tony would’ve been dead. Daniel was fuming, smoke almost coming out of his ears. Everyone gasped as he pushed Tony away from him, forcefully. He stumbled a bit, gaining his composure quickly and laughing a bit. </p><p>      “Do you seriously think trying to fight us is the best option right now? Look at you. Squaring up to…” he gestured to Wanda. “A witch…” he moved to point at everyone else. “Two super soldiers, an android, two gods and” he turned back to Daniel. “A hulk. Does that sound like a fair fight?” </p><p>      Daniel swore, realizing he wouldn’t get what he came for. He turned to you, staring you dead in the eye. “I’ll kill you someday whore.” He stepped forward, ready to jump over the counter and do what he did days before. In the blink of an eye, Loki was in front of him, throwing his right fist in his face. </p><p>      “Loki!” you screamed, Daniels unconscious body falling to the floor. Loki bent over, picking him up and hitting him again, causing his nose to bleed. Tony had to wrap his arms around Loki to stop him from beating the absolute shit out of him. </p><p>      Steve and Bucky walked over to Daniel, picking him up and walking him out through the back employee only door, where they tied him up. Vision had the police on the phone, and Bruce had run around the counter to comfort you. You were in shock. A part of you wanted to hug Loki, but a tiny portion of you, the part that still loved Daniel, wanted to punch him too. You questioned why you still cared for Daniel, but Bruce explained to you that it was normal after getting out of an abusive relationship. Daniel had been manipulative and dangerous, and Loki acted out of protection for you. </p><p>      You called your manager and closed the cafe early as police showed up. They arrested Daniel and asked you questions about him. Thor and Steve sat next to you the whole time, and each time the police had even tried blaming you, they shut it down quickly.They tried interrogating and arresting Loki for assault, but Tony convinced them to let it go. Eventually the police left and it was just you and the Avengers. </p><p>      “Thank you.” You said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you guys care that much about me.” Tears threatened to fall down your face, but you managed to stop them. </p><p>      “Lady Y/N” Thor stepped in front of you. “Never doubt our care for you.” he placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. </p><p>      “But why me?” You looked around to all of them.</p><p>      “It's simple.” Tony put his sunglasses back on. “You never treated us differently from any other customer. We’re comfortable around you, kid. Get used to it.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Green Dress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>sorry this is a short one, next chapter is the party which is gonna be big!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     It was a week later, and work had become uneventful as usual. Christmas was right around the corner and you were more excited than words could explain. </p><p>     Monday, you clocked in like always and made your way to the front door, unlocking it. Customers came and went, and you could feel yourself sadden a bit at the knowledge the Avengers wouldn’t be able to stop by since they were on a mission. About an hour into your shift, you spotted a man standing outside the cafe, staring through the storefront window. You stared back at him, hoping he would stop. The awkwardness when he noticed you was painful, as he gave a small wave. You waved back, confused as ever, and went back to work. </p><p>     He walked inside the cafe a few minutes later with a woman, so thankfully you wouldn’t have to deal with him being a creep. They ordered food, and as they talked, you worked on mobile orders. When you heard the bell ring for the front door, you looked up to see Clint. </p><p>     “Hey.” you smiled, still making coffee. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned over it a bit, looking up at the menu. </p><p>     “Y/N! I was hoping you’d be here. How have you been?” He asked, looking at you. </p><p>     “I’ve been fine. The new apartment is smaller than I hoped but it’s what I can afford, so it's fine. </p><p>     “Are you sure you don’t want a place to stay with us? Stark Tower has spare bedrooms and I’m sure Tony wouldn’t mind-”</p><p>     “No Clint. It’s fine. I’m not…” You paused for a moment and looked at him.. “I’m not an avenger.” You continued working. “I’m not a superhero, why should I live with a bunch of them.” You laughed while finishing up a mobile order. </p><p>     “Fine. I understand. Listen, we are having a gathering tonight. At Stark Tower. We were wondering if you’d like to attend.” He grinned. </p><p>     “By we, you mean…” </p><p>     “It was Thors idea. But don’t get me wrong, everyone wants you there.” He laughed nervously. </p><p>     “I really don’t get you guys.” You looked at him for a moment, his face hopeful. “Fine! I’ll go!” Clint sighed in relief. </p><p>     “Thank god. At least it won't be a boring party!” he said, backing up to the door. </p><p>     “I highly doubt I’ll make that much of a difference. You said it was a stark party, how should I dress?” You called to him. </p><p>     “You have a favorite fancy dress in your closet?” He asked, opening the door. You nodded. “Wear that.” He winked. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>      An hour later you were standing in your new apartment, looking at two different dresses sprawled out on your bed. It was between a dark green and a light yellow dress. After much contemplation though, you decided on the green. You figured a light yellow might be too immature for a fancy party, especially one at stark tower. You put on the flowy fabric and as you looked at yourself in the mirror, you suddenly thought about Loki. You thought about his dark green garments he would traditionally wear. Something you had seen in pictures. As you twirled in the mirror you imagined Loki there beside you, hands on your waist. You stopped wondering if he would wear green as well. Not that it had been a deciding factor for you, but of course it would be nice to match with a man you’d grown so heavily attracted to. He came into the cafe much more often than the rest now, and it had become a custom of his to sit at a table long after he was done with his coffee. The only problem was that he never said more than a few sentences to you. </p><p>     It crossed your mind that maybe he hated you. That wouldn’t make much sense though, seeing how he had knocked Daniel out in one punch after a simple threat. But it would explain his spacial awareness around you. You hoped that the party would open a conversation between the two of you, creating an opening for a real friendship between the two of you. He seemed to like you, at least you hoped. </p><p>     You couldn’t help but think about him. His face, his lips, his hair. You imagined what his hands would feel like on the sides of your face as he kissed you. It was a foolish dream of course, fantasizing about a god. Sure you were friends, but you highly doubted a god would want to date a simple human barista. </p><p>     The sky was dark when you stepped onto the NYC sidewalk, almost as if it was supposed to storm soon. You quickly hailed a cab, telling the man in the driver's seat where you were going. As you got in, you made sure you had everything. With a deep breath you closed the door and the cab took off. You were nervous as hell. A party with some of the most intimidating yet fun people you knew. You were surprised you were even invited. You weren't going to question it though. You closed your eyes, focusing on your few hopes for the evening. That you wouldn’t embarrass yourself, get to know everyone better, and dance with Loki.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Btw that beginning thing with the weird guy, it'll only make sense if you check out my friends fic Monochrome Flowers, a Venom x Eddie fic! We did a little crossover, go check out her fic! &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Party Pt. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Walking in the front doors of Stark Tower was surreal. The notice was last minute, and you had never expected to be invited to such an event, but after Clint had come into the cafe and invited you, it was a reality. Walking up to the elevator of course you could only think of one thing. Loki. As you pressed the button for the floor the party was on, you thought for a moment. </p><p>    What was with this weird infatuation with him. It wasn’t like he was a total stranger to you but you couldn’t help being confused. His face.. His eyes.. It was impossible to not think about him. Your green dress swayed at your ankles, it’s dark green color reminding you of him of course. You hadn’t planned it but obviously there was some sort of inspiration for the color. You thought about what the party might be like, if Loki would even make an appearance, if he’d have groups of girls pooling around him just begging for a dance. Why wouldn’t they?</p><p>    Christmas music became louder and louder as you neared one of the tallest floors of Stark Tower and you could feel your heart rate quicken. The millions of awful scenarios you’d thought up in the cab raced in your mind and you nearly didn’t even realize the elevator doors opening. </p><p>    The party was large and bright, men in suits and women in elegant dresses. You didn’t recognize a single one of their faces. A large christmas tree sat in the corner of the large room, and you could see large presents under it. Most likely decorations, or presents the team had gotten each other that they planned on opening once the crowds were gone. It was bound to be an eventful evening, even though you couldn’t seem to find a place for yourself among the crowd. Stepping out of the elevator you awkwardly handed Happy your coat, whispering a simple thank you to him. </p><p>    “Y/N?” A voice in the distance called. A group of avenger members were all sitting together, and your heart sank a bit seeing Loki wasn’t present. Still, you smiled and made your way over. “Y/N i’m so glad you made it!” Thor's voice boomed as he wrapped a large arm around you. </p><p>    “I’m glad you invited me.” you smirked, and you could see a wave of embarrassment come over him. </p><p>    “Well um.. It was not particularly my idea to invite you Lady Y/N.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. You stepped away from him. </p><p>    “Well, who’s idea was it?” you asked cautiously. Your mind started fogging up, worried maybe this was some awful prank. </p><p>    “Mine.” A familiar, crisp toned voice said from behind you. Your heart stopped as you turned around to see Loki, dressed in a completely black suit with his long jet black hair slicked back. The breath in your lungs became nonexistent as he offered a hand to you. “Will you dance with me, Y/N?”</p><p>    You hesitated, still terrified this was an awful prank, but when you reached out to take his hand everything was ok. There was no laughter, no pointing. A surprised and nervous smile appeared on the god of mischief's face and you knew you’d fallen completely. He pulled you along with him to the dance floor, where a slow christmas song began playing. You felt him pull you close to you and he placed a hand on your waist, so lightly you wondered if he was even touching you at all. As the music played, he held his face close to your own, nearly cheek to cheek. </p><p>    “You’re nervous.” he stated. You choked on air, caught off guard by his observation. </p><p>    “Why do you think that?” You responded. Your attempt to relax proved unsuccessful, as you felt your hand tense in his own. </p><p>    “You’re not relaxing. Either you’re nervous to be around me or you’re just uncomfortable. If it’s the latter I apologize -” He began pulling away but you quickly stopped him. </p><p>     “No! I mean -” You found yourself staring into his eyes. “I’m perfectly comfortable here. I’m just a bit nervous.” you could tell your face was bright red. He smirked and returned to his inicial place. He tightened his arm around your waist and his hand holding your own. Nearly possessive of you. You turned to see what he was looking at, a group of men at the bar staring at you. You rolled your eyes and returned your gaze to the raven haired man. </p><p>    “Ignore them. I’m not here for them.” You whispered. His gaze dropped from your eyes quickly, only to return seconds later. </p><p>    “Who then, may I ask, who you are here for darling?” His voice was so quiet in your ear, you were almost convinced you were the only person who could hear him. Your face reddened again and turned your gaze away from him, looking to the ground. “You don’t need to tell me.” he laughed. “Green is beautiful on you though.” you could practically hear the smirk in his voice. </p><p>    You wanted to ask him why he cared so much. Why he, Loki Odinson, the god of mischief, cared so much for a simple human. What made you so different from any of these other girls at this party. Why were you the one being held in his arms, feeling his warm breath on your cheek. Why were you so lucky?</p><p>    “I know you’re cautious of me, Y/N. I can assure you though I only have pure intentions towards you.” He turned his face to you. “I have to confess, I don’t very much like coffee.” You thought about his statement for a moment, and your eyes widened with realization. All those days he’d come into the coffee shop and ordered a cup. They weren’t for coffee. They were for you. </p><p>    “You could’ve just asked to spend time with me like a proper person, you know.” You smiled. His eyes were bright and you could feel his hand holding your own loosening. </p><p>    “I’m not much of a proper person, am I.” His eyes glanced at your lips and your eyes did the same. “May I kiss you, darling?” He whispered. His hand was already free from yours, now placed on your cheek. </p><p>    “Yes.” You breathed. He didn’t waste a moment, pulling you into a slow and deep kiss. The music playing swelled, almost as if it was cued. You placed a hand behind his neck and deepened the kiss further. His lips were soft and warm, which you found surprising considering his cold demeanor. You both pulled away slowly. His hand was still on your cheek, his thumb grazing against your blush. </p><p>    “I’ve been waiting a long time to do that.” He said, a smile forming. You couldn’t help but smile too. He placed his hand back in your own and held it tightly. </p><p>    “I’m glad you finally did.” He pulled you closer, and you rested your head on his chest. Hearing his heartbeat was calming and you could feel him place a kiss on the top of your head. You both continued to sway to the music until it was finished, another song coming on that wasn’t very slow dance worthy. You pulled away from him, laughing as you both walked off the dance floor. </p><p>    “Lady Y/N!” Thor was at the bar with the rest of the group, opposite the group of guys who’d been eyeing you earlier. You walked over to him, Loki following close behind. </p><p>    “This party is so boring.” Bucky took a drink. Sam sitting beside him shoved his shoulder.</p><p>    “Now cmon man, you know Tony loves throwing his little parties. It’ll be over within the hour and we’ll be able to actually have fun.” Bucky rolled his eyes in response, continuing to drink. </p><p>    “How are you enjoying the party, Y/N?” Vision asked. He looked different than normal, not like Vision but a human version of himself. Wanda stood with him, arms linked. She was dressed in a gorgeous dark red velvet dress. The pair looked amazing together. </p><p>    “It’s great!” You said, trying to sound enthusiastic. Vision saw right through you and gave you a look. “Well I don’t really know anyone but you guys.”</p><p>    “She’d probably be having a better time if it weren’t for the men over there gawking at her.” Loki spat, wrapping an arm around your waist. You felt a wave of embarrassment as everyone with you turned to look at the group of men.</p><p>    “Ah, I see.” You could feel the disappointment in Visions voice. “I’ve always found it frustrating that these men always seem to find a way to make the women of our ensemble uncomfortable.” He turned to look at you and the rest of the group. “The amount of men I catch gawking at Wanda here is disgusting. She can never truly enjoy the party until everyone else has left and its just us.” He motioned to the rest of the Avengers sitting with you. </p><p>    Loki still had his hand around your waist. You thought back to how you’d felt with Daniel, and it took a moment of thought for you to realize you’d never felt this comfortable with someone's hand on you until now. </p><p>    Thor was about to stand up and say something to the men who’d been staring at you when you heard a familiar voice approaching. </p><p>    “Ah, there you are.” Tony said, joining the growing group of avengers and… you. “How long have you been here? Why did no one tell me?” He looked around and laughed. Tony had clearly taken a liking to you, but not in a way that made you uncomfortable or nervous. If anything it felt more fatherly than romantic. Something you were thankful for. Looking over at Thor you noticed he was still staring at the group of men, and when you looked up at Loki he was doing the same. Brothers think alike I guess. The hand on your waist coldened and you could tell he was thinking, hard. You whispered in Loki’s ear. </p><p>    “Leave it be.” Was all you said and the hand warmed. He looked down at you and mustered a smile. You could tell how much the men upset him, along with Thor. You appreciated their protectiveness, but you’d seen their strength before and felt it was probably for the best to make it through the rest of the night without anyone having to go to the hospital. It was only the beginning of the night, and considering its eventful and.. romantic beginning, you had a feeling it was going to be a good night. </p>
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